RATIONING.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether any estimate has been formed of the effect which the rationing
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of coal will have on the coal-mining industry in South Wales; and, if so, whether he can make a statement on the whole subject?

The effect of coal rationing has received careful consideration, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement on the position which I made on 9th November in reply to the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. G. Hall).

Mr. Jenkins

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is now in a position to make a further statement with regard to the rationing of coal?

Mr. W. Joseph Stewart

asked the Secretory for Mines whether he is aware that in the county of Durham there are 18,000 miners unemployed; and will he consider the suggestion that coal rationing be relaxed, not only to allow coal consumers to purchase their normal quantities of fuel during the coming winter, but with the expectation that many miners now unemployed would be placed in employment?

asked the Secretary for Mines how many exemptions from coal rationing have been granted by local fuel overseers to householders with evacuees, nurserymen producing food, bakers, cafes, restaurants, eating-houses, hospitals, hotels and others; and by how much will these exemptions reduce the anticipated saving of coal under the coal rationing scheme?

asked the Secretary for Mines by how much the rationing of coal for domestic consumers will reduce the amount available for export since a big percentage of the large-sized house coal cannot be exported, but has to be brought to the surface in order that the smalls, which are exported, may be available?

I cannot accept the hon. Member's suggestion that a reduction in the consumption of domestic coal would not make more coal available for export. As I indicated in my reply last Thursday578W
to the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. G. Hall) the relaxation of coal rationing has been made possible partly because sufficient supplies of export coal are at present available.